- March 25, 2020
Re: Pastor Russ’ Message
To the dear brothers and sisters of Grace Baptist Church, Dallas, Oregon.
Last week I reminded you that the Lord loves you very much. But if you are like me, I am certain that we need another reminder. We can say, “I know the Lord loves me,” but it is when we are focused on other things… like the coronavirus, the mandate to shelter in place, the complete upheaval of our schedules that we must remind ourselves again: “The Lord loves us and is working everything out for our good according to His purpose.” (See Rom. 8:28) Don’t forget that please. This is an encouragement for us.
Sunday I came to the church building as usual. I wanted to be there in case anyone missed the memo that our services were suspended. No one did, and it was a lonely morning. I had time to pray and read my Bible; but I missed seeing you all. May the Lord get us through this sooner rather than later. I don’t handle isolation well.
As I was praying about what to share with you this week, the Lord pressed on my heart an illustration from the Old Testament, from the book of Isaiah. That great prophet saw the Lord high and lifted up; and he was commissioned by the Lord to preach to the nation. But God told him that no one would really listen. And because of their love for idols, and their rejection of God, it was revealed to Isaiah that the people would be carried into captivity. Honestly, how else was God to gain the people’s attention? God didn’t delight in bringing judgment on the nation, for love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, and always perseveres. I would have to say that captivity was the last resort that led to an ultimate good.
When God revealed this truth to Isaiah, he could see the future agony of His people. He knew it would be hard for them in a new land with new customs, and with the loss of their whole way of life behind them. But with every judgment of God in Scripture, we also see a promise of God with it. Such is the case in Isaiah 40. This is a beautiful chapter full of God’s sovereignty and hope. It’s a reminder to God’s people that they are never forgotten. We have a hope that directs us to our future.
Isaiah begins with a word of comfort. Speaking prophetically God says, “Comfort, comfort my people, says your god. Speak tenderly to Jerusalem, and proclaim to her that her hard service has been completed, that her sin has been paid for, that she has received from the Lord’s hand double for all her sins,” Isa. 40:1-2. Now we typically think that God double punished them through Babylon such that they had paid for all their sins twice over. But this is not the case… read on.
Verse 3 is one that is very familiar with Bible students, and it says, “A voice of one calling: ‘In the wilderness prepare the way for the Lord; make straight in the desert a highway for our God.’” This was a verse that described the work of another prophet who was to come, John the Baptist, who would ultimately point people to Jesus. He is what is intended in verse 5, “And the glory of the Lord will be revealed, and all people will see it together. For the mouth of the Lord has spoken.” You see, God was sending His one and only Son into the world, and He is the One who would pay double for all our sins. The Apostle John cites this truth when he said, “The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth,” John 1:14. Jesus was God’s promise to His people, and they were to trust in Him even when they were disciplined by being carried away into captivity.
So how are we to trust God, see His Glory, and hope for the best when our whole world is turned upside down? This is hard, but fortunately for us (and the children of Israel) God left us a clue. It is found in Isaiah 40:31 and it says: But those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.”
Let me unpack this a bit for us today. First, those who hope in the Lord, are those who have been redeemed by the Lord. They know that they can’t save themselves and so they have completely put their hope, or trust, in God’s provision. And in this case, God has provided Jesus as His provision for sin. This hope is strong and sure; not like a worldly wish or a hope against hope. No, this hope is like an “anchor for the soul, firm and secure. It enters the inner sanctuary behind the curtain, where our forerunner, Jesus, has entered on our behalf,” Hebrews 6:19-20a. This kind of hope is not a wish, rather it is a settled guarantee, a holy promise. Something we can look forward to!
Next, we are told that those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. This renewing isn’t a strength that we can muster up; rather it is a renewing of strength that comes from the Holy Spirit. Spiritually we are renewed again and again as we are filled with the Spirit of God. Jesus said, “You will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you,” Acts 1:8. Paul says, “For we were all baptized by one Spirit so as to form one body… and we were all given the one Spirit to drink,” 1 Cor. 12:13. We are to drink of the Spirit, present tense. Thus His Spirit gives us power for holy living and holiness to follow Christ. If we are out of power and feel weak, it is because we need a fresh drink from Him who is all powerful. Simply turn to Christ and request a fresh filling of His power and you will feel renewed. This is God’s provision for us. John the Baptist said that he simply baptized with water—but the One who came after him would baptize with the Holy Spirit. (See John 1:33) It is God’s intention that all who hope in the Lord would walk in the Spirit and be filled with His power. That’s how we are renewed.
Then we see this phrase, “They will soar on wings like eagles;” which is to say that life in the Spirit will be kind of effortless. Eagles soar on the wind currents—wings spread to catch the wind. Soaring so high, they seem to simply float—sailing around and around. Of course they expend effort as they launch out of a tree. That’s when they flap their mighty wings in an effort to gain altitude in order to catch the currents in the sky. Jesus said; “Remain in me, as I also remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me,” John 15:4. Bearing fruit is somewhat effortless. We simply remain. When you are remaining it is sort of like soaring on eagles wings. When we aren’t remaining but have fallen in the flesh, getting back to remaining is sort of like flapping our wings hard in repentance so that we can once again catch the current of His Spirit. God used this phrase when he delivered the children of Israel out of Egypt when he said, “You yourselves have seen what I did to Egypt, and how I carried you on eagles’ wings and brought you to myself,” Exodus 19:4. They were helpless to save themselves—but God delivered them by the power of His Spirit. They were carried along… just as we shall be carried along as we put our hope in the Lord. Apart from Him we can do nothing.
Then there is this word about running and walking: “They will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.” What is that about? Certainly all who run grow weary; ask anyone who trains for a marathon. Humanly speaking we can only run so far, and we can only walk so far as well. But this is not speaking about becoming an athlete with super human endurance; rather it is talking about life in the Spirit. It is like we run and don’t grow weary and like we walk and not faint. Life in the Spirit is like that. Like two friends out for a walk—they are so enjoying themselves together that all of a sudden they get to their destination and wonder how they got there so fast. It was like no time at all. The Lord will get us home one day. He has promised to prepare a place for us. When we walk with Him day by day—or even run with Him as some occasions require, eventually we will come to our final destination. And then we will look back and wonder where the time has gone since we’ve been enjoying our walk with Him? There is joy in serving Jesus, and when He shows up, time doesn’t matter, it simply melts away. Look to Him dear ones—in our current journey, He makes all the difference.
Now God gave the Israelites this word of hope as they faced the prospects of going into captivity in Babylon. But for believers today, we are “foreigners and exiles, abstaining from sinful desires, which wage war against our souls. Let’s live such good lives among the pagans that, though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day he visits us,” 1 Peter 2:11-12. Why? Because God would have us put our hope in Him. After our work is complete here in this life, He will bring us into a new heaven and new earth where we will enjoy Him in the eternal kingdom. Walk with Him now—and we will be there before we know it. Our journey with Him will become more like soaring on eagle’s wings than fighting through the jungle of life. Like Jim Reeves penned in his song: “This world is not my home, I’m just a passing through. My treasures are laid up somewhere beyond the blue. The angels beckon me from heavens’ open door. And I can’t feel at home in this world anymore…” So He will carry us along, and we can never tire of that.
May you experience His power and lift under your wings as you trust in him this week!
Pastor Russ Hilsinger
Grace Baptist Church, Dallas, OR